Steering control for self-propelled vehicles

ABSTRACT

The present invention concerns a steering control for vehicles such as automobiles or motorcycles in the form of a steering wheel or of a handlebar, with a gripping zone presenting an elastically variable geometry deformable under the action of the hand or the hands of the driver gripping the steering control fast and forcefully in case of danger, and thus of panic, in such a manner that a hydraulic or pneumatic sensor located inside the gripping zone is activated.  
     According to the present invention the sensor ( 8, 16 ) extends over essentially the whole zone of the steering control ( 1 ) that can be gripped by at least one hand of the driver, and consists of a tube ( 9, 17 ) of elastic material, filled with a liquid, and embedded entirely in a foamed plastic material ( 6 ). The advantages of the present invention are seen in the high effectiveness and reliability of the safety device, in the elimination of potential danger caused by mistaken reactions of the driver, and in the economic feasibility of the inventive device.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 of SwissPatent Application No. 01275/04 filed Jul. 29, 2004 and of Swiss PatentApplication No. 00256/05 filed Feb. 15, 2005, the disclosures of whichare expressly incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

The present invention concerns a steering control for self-propelledvehicles, such as motorcycles, automobiles, etc., according to thepreamble of the claim 1.

A steering control device of the type mentioned is described in detailin the EP121691 1A2 filed by the same applicant. This preceding patentapplication thus constitutes the state of the art pertaining to thepresent invention, which aims at presenting an improvement of the same.The entire contents of the EP1216911 A2 thus is integrated into thedescription of the present patent application.

The EP-1216911A2 describes and shows a steering control in of a steeringwheel of an automobile, or of a handlebar of a motor cycle, providedwith a gripping zone of elastically variable geometry, inside which apneumatic, or a hydraulic, sensor is located, which reacts to changes othe form and/or to the volume of the gripping zone. The sensor accordingto the invention is connected to at least one control element and/or toa device monitoring the functionality of the vehicle in such a mannerthat the safety control device is activated by the reaction of thesensor.

Practical realisation of the concept described in the EP-1216911A2 ledto the experience that this concept calls for improvements thatconsiderably increase the driving safety of the vehicle. Suchimprovements thus are the objective of the present invention.

A first finding from practical experience indicates that only pneumaticsensors, and still better, hydraulic sensors, present reliablefunctionality as they permit—other than the ones using electricalmicro-switches reacting to elastic deformation of the steering control,as already known from the general state of the art—picking up ananalogue signal of the pressure exerted by the hand onto the steeringwheel or onto the handlebar. A signal of this type presents the greatadvantage over a signal of digital open/closed type emitted by anelectric switch, of reproducing in simple but correct form—withoutcomplex electronic devices—the quality of the reactions of the driver,which means that the degree of his fear or his panic induced byunexpected and unforeseeable situations he finds himself exposed to. Theobjective of the present invention, just as the one of the EP-1216911A2, is to create a steering control for vehicles, which is capable ofimproving the preventive and active safety of the driver of the vehicle,as well as of the other users of the road—pedestrians inparticular—owing to the considerable reduction in the reaction time lagof the driver, and correspondingly shortening the length of the brakingdistance. A few meters difference in the braking distance can provevital in avoiding a crash, or in reducing the effects of a crash. Thisis confirmed every day on the road. On the other hand it is known thatin the case of unexpected danger situations (pedestrians or animalsunexpectedly crossing the road, obstacles appearing suddenly after acurve, sudden left turns by a cyclists, etc.) the driver, according to afirst form of reaction, instinctively tends to grip the wheel or thehandlebar with greater or lesser force and speed in function of thedegree of panic he suffers. Another form of reaction, often seen inpractical traffic, and differing from the one of gripping the wheel orthe handlebar descried above, is the one of leaning with both hands ontothe rim of the steering wheel, pressing both palms hard against it. Thisis an instinctive and most rapid reaction aimed at protecting the thoraxregion from impacting the wheel in case of brisk deceleration of thevehicle for any reason, e.g. because of an obstacle—a pedestrian—seensuddenly in front of the vehicle. The hands in this case press hard,with strong force corresponding to an acceleration of 2 to 3 G, againstthe upper surface of the steering wheel rim oriented towards the driver,and this force inventively can be made use of for activating a pneumaticor hydraulic sensor located in the upper portion of the rim of thesteering wheel. Thus, thanks to the hydraulic or pneumatic sensor, thepossibility of obtaining a signal proportional to the driver'sperception of danger, i.e. a signal constituting a noticeable progressover all sensors operating with a simple electrical switch, which canonly give off on/off signals that do not account for the speed of thedriver's reaction nor for the force of his reaction or, respectively,for his “degree of panic”.

A second aspect revealed in practical application of the solutionaccording to the EP-1 21 691 1A2 is that the whole extent of thesteering control (i.e. the whole circumference of the steering wheel inthe case of an automobile, or the whole length of the handlebar, in thecase of vehicle with a handlebar) is to be used as an activating zonefor the hydraulic or pneumatic sensor. Expressed in other words:Practical use has shown that, while driving a vehicle, the driver tendsto shift his hand—or both his hands, if he applies them both—along thewhole surface of the rim of the steering wheel or, respectively, alongthe whole length of the handlebar. Thus it never can be known precisely,where the hand or the hands of the driver contact or hold the steeringcontrol. Of course there are favoured zones, such as the two sides tothe right or to the left hand side, or the upper and the lower zone ofthe steering wheel rim. But it is impossible to foresee precisely atwhich point the driver, in an emergency or panicking situation, willgrip the wheel or the handlebar. For this reason the solution shown inthe EP-121691 1A2 cannot entirely satisfy the conditions foreffectiveness required for a safety device such as the one consideredhere.

It is the objective of the present invention to eliminate thedisadvantages cited above still inherent in the state of the art,represented in particular by the EP12 '16911A2, and to offer the marketa solution, which ensures maximum effectiveness in all panic situationsof the driver, independently of his driving habits, in particular of hisway of holding the steering wheel while driving.

This objective is met thanks to a steering control presenting thecharacteristics according to the characterising portion of the claim 1.

Owing to the application of at least one hydraulic or pneumatic sensorextending essentially over the whole zone of the steering control thatmay be gripped by at least one hand of the driver of the vehicle, thesteering control being the steering wheel of an automobile or thehandlebar of a motorcycle, best assurance is obtained that the sensorcan be activated securely, whatever the situation is. For obtaining thisresult at least one sensor is provided, which is a hydraulic or apneumatic sensor—being able to transmit an increase in pressure at anyof its points to a receiving device provided with it—consisting of atube of elastic material immersed in expanded foam plastic material, thefinal elasticity of which (i.e. after hardening of the material)preferably is lower than the elasticity of the material forming thetube. Owing to this characteristic the pressure exerted by the hands (orby one hand only) onto the plastic foam material completely surroundingthe tube of the sensor (forming the rim of the steering wheel or thecylindrical body of the handlebar) is immediately transmitted to thetube, which in turn transmits it to the fluid contained in the tube, insuch a manner that the pressure increases inside the tube. The signalreceiver in the form of a pressure gauge, the pressure value beingdetermined with an analogue electric measuring device, and the signalemitted immediately can be processed in many different modes (start ofthe braking action, switching on of warning lights, etc.) which,however, are apt to reduce the dangers generated by the panic situationcausing the driver's brisk reaction. It is to be stressed that thepressure gauge can be calibrated in such a manner that it emits a signalonly if he pressure increase in the sensor-tube exceeds a predeterminedvalue, in order to avoid undesired reactions of the system due to mereinattentiveness of the driver.

The depending claims 2 through 12 concern preferred embodiments of thepresent invention, which will be described and discussed in more detailwith reference to the following description illustrated in correspondingFigures. The Figures show in:

FIG. 1 an inventive steering control in the form of a steering wheel ofan automobile shown schematically in a view from below;

FIG. 2 a cross-section of the rim of the steering wheel along the lineI-I in the FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 the tube-shaped sensor located inside the inventive steeringcontrol;

FIG. 4 an alternative arrangement of the tube-shaped sensor in asteering wheel of an automobile for realising the present invention;

FIG. 5 a section along a zone of the steering wheel of an automobile, inwhich the tube-shaped sensor is placed in the outer portion (as shown inthe FIG. 4), but with additional support elements against which the tuberests;

FIG. 6 an alternative variant of the inventive steering control as shownin the FIGS. 1 through 5, but equipped with two tube-shaped sensors, oneof which is located in the outer rim portion of the wheel, and the otherone of which is located in upper portion of the rim of the wheel;

FIG. 7 a design detail of the solution according to the FIG. 6 showingthe manner in which the two sensor tubes merge into one pressure gauge;

FIG. 8 an alternative design example of a steering wheel in which thepolyurethane is rigid and the sensor is placed into a peripheral slotmilled into the rim.

In the FIG. 1 a steering wheel 1 of an automobile is shownschematically, seen from below (i.e. from its lower portion). Thesteering wheel of conventional type, applied in the automobilescirculating today, comprises a rim 2 and a number of spokes 3 (often twoor three spokes) connecting the rim 2 with the steering column 4. Thespecific layout of the steering wheel 1 (namely the diameter of the rim,the number of spokes, the specific shape of the steering column head 4)plays a minor role within the frame of the invention and thus is notdiscussed in more detail here. It just is to be noted that modernsteering wheels of automobiles as a rule contain a support structure(skeleton) made from light metal alloys (magnesium in particular) forlending the steering wheel the strength required and the indispensablesafety characteristics. A skeleton 5 of such type presents an e.g.M-shaped profile (see the FIG. 2, in which the cross-section of the rimof the steering wheel 1 along the line I-I of the FIG. I is shown) andof course comprises the spokes 3 and the steering column head 4 (notvisible in the figures). The skeleton 5 normally is embedded at leastpartially, especially in its rim portion, in a plastic foam material ofpredetermined elasticity, in such a manner that its touch is pleasantand assures good grip. The elasticity of the foam plastic material,plainly visible in the cross-sections in the FIGS. 2 and 4 and indicatedwith the reference number 6, plays a particular role within the scope ofthe present invention, which is to be described later on. In the FIG. 4it can be seen furthermore that the plastic foam material 6 as a rule isenclosed in a cover 7 of soft leather or half-leather in order tofurther improve the surface properties of the steering wheel. This doesnot ply any significant role in practical use, as far as the presentinvention is concerned.

Of importance is just the fact—actually already present and known in thesteering wheels and in the handlebars according to the state of theart—that the material of which the plastic foam material is made from(preferentially made e.g. from expanded polyurethane or from a materialpresenting characteristics similar to polyurethane) is elastic and canundergo local elastic deformation under the influence of the pressureexerted by a hand that grips the wheel, or exerted just by a fingerpressed onto the surface. This local elastic deformation is made use ofpatent-wise for obtaining the desired safety effect. Mentioning elasticdeformation, it is to be defined here that this expression can refer tothe local deviation of the form of the gripping zone as well as to thereduction in its volume: both cases can be made use of in practicalapplication, depending on whether the wheel rim is pressed by a handthat grips the wheel, or whether it is pressed just locally. From theviewpoint of the present invention the two cases are entirely equivalentas they generate the same effect, as will be explained later on.

The present invention is characterised in that the hydraulic orpneumatic sensor 8 extends essentially over the whole zone of thesteering control, e.g. of the steering wheel 1, which can be gripped byat least one hand of the driver (not shown). In the case of the specificitem shown in the FIGS. 1 through 5 the gripping zone extendsessentially over the whole rim 2 of the steering wheel 1, as actuallythe whole rim 2 can be gripped or be held by the driver. In the case ofthe handlebar of a motorcycle (not shown) the gripping zone extends overthe full length of the handlebar. At whatever point the driver grips orholds the steering control, the safety system thus will function as thehydraulic or pneumatic sensor extends over the full expanse of thegripping zone. In this arrangement the characteristics of a fluidcontained in a tube can be made use of: the pressure applied at whateverpoint of the tube immediately is propagated throughout the tube. Thepresent invention provides that the sensor 8 be a tube 9 (see the FIG. 3especially) of elastic material, filled with a fluid 10 and embedded infoamed plastic material 6 (see the FIGS. 2 and 4), the final elasticityof the expanded foam material (where the term “final” refers to theelasticity after completion of the hardening phase of the expanded foammaterial) being equal or lower than the elasticity of the material ofwhich the tube 9 consists. This definition is stated because of therequirement that the tube 9 of the sensor 8 does not oppose any uselessresistance against compression from the outside, in order not to renderthe combination of the foam material 6/tube 9 needlessly inert againstpressure loads. The tube 9 thus is not to oppose pressures, but is totransmit them to the fluid 10 that fills the tube and reacts to any, andeven smallest, deforming loads acting onto the foam material thatsurrounds the tube 9.

In the FIG. 1 it can be seen in which manner the tube 9 forming thesensor S surrounds practically the whole circumference of the steeringwheel 1, being placed in the rim in suitable manner, to be describedlater on, and re-entering towards the steering column 4 via one of thespokes 3, forming a portion curved 90° with respect to the circumferenceof the rim 2.

According to a first preferred realisation of the present invention,shown in the FIG. 1 as well as in the FIG. 3, the tube 9 is sealed tightusing a sealing clip 11 at one end, whereas its other end is connectedto a pressure gauge with an electrical analogue measuring valuetransmitter 12, which transmits its signal via suitable circuits 13 to asignal processing unit that processes the signal conveniently, e.g. theon-board computer. Obviously there are other solutions than clips forsealing a tube 9, and also connecting to a tube under pressure apressure gauge furnishing an analogue electric signal, correspond to thestate of the art. All such solutions thus are applicable within theframe of the present invention.

Practical experience has permitted to establish that application of ahydraulic sensor 8 is preferable, which consists of a tube 9 asdescribed above, filled with a liquid, which preferentially presentsminimum thermal dilatation within the temperature range from −40° C. to+100° C. The advantage of this solution is self-evident. The liquid isessentially incompressible and thus reacts faster and with higherprecision than a pneumatic sensor filled with a compressible gas. Thesmallest possible thermal dilatation within the range of temperaturescited is desirable, as this permits elimination of possible deviationsin pressure occurring in the steering control exposed to outsideconditions in the environment. The steering wheel if an automobile mustremain functional notwithstanding considerable temperature excursions,such as found between polar and equatorial regions, also if modificationof the calibration of the pressure gauge 12 in function of the averagetemperature at which the automobile is used can be considered.

According to another preferred form of realisation of the presentinvention, shown in the FIG. 2 presenting a cross-section of thesteering control along the line I-I indicated in the FIG. 1, thesteering control can be the steering wheel 1 of an automobile (as shownin the FIG. 1) and the hydraulic or pneumatic sensor 8 can be arrangedalong the whole circumference of the steering wheel 1 (as shown in theFIG. 1) in its lower portion, at a distance d ranging from 1 to 6 mmfrom the surface of the steering wheel rim 1, thus under the magnesiumskeleton 5, is apt to activate the sensor when pressed by a finger or bythe hands. Most drivers instinctively grip the wheel 1 laterally withthe palm of the hand, in such a manner that the fingers, except thethumb, are placed on the lower portion of the steering wheel rim. If thehand tightens, the fingers tend to press the wheel rim, puffing a loadonto the material, the filling foam material is made of, upwards frombelow, and thus the tube 9 of the sensor 8, arranged in that location,is compressed. This location of the sensor 8 thus is privileged forrealising the present invention.

According to another preferred variant of realisation of the presentinvention, indicated in the FIG. 4 showing a cross-section of thesteering control similar to the one shown in the FIG. 2, the steeringcontrol is represented by a steering wheel 1 of an automobile, and thehydraulic or pneumatic sensor 8 is arranged on the outer side along thewhole circumference of the steering wheel rim at a distance D rangingfrom 1 to 6 mm from the surface of the steering wheel 1. It is to benoted that in the form of realisation according to the FIG. 4 thesurface of the steering wheel is covered with a thin layer 13 of leatheror half-leather, which is provided, on one hand, to protect the expandedplastic foam material 6, and on the other hand to improve the grip onthe wheel 1 for the driver. The distance D thus is measured from theouter surface of the cover layer 13.

The advantage of this form of realisation is seen in that the sensor 8is located in a lateral position of the wheel 1, where it can bestrained easily as the driver grips the wheel and tends to pull back hisarms.

In the FIG. 4 it also can be seen in which manner the elastic tube 9 ofthe sensor 8 via its guide element rests directly against one of thevertical protrusions or arms of the support structure 5. This representsan advantageous solution facilitating manufacture of the steering wheel,which does not play any particular role within the scope of the presentinvention, however.

On the other hand an advantageous solution of an inventive steeringwheel I is obtained, if it contains, as shown in the FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, asupport structure or skeleton 5 embedded entirely or partially in theexpanded plastic foam material 6, where the structure 5 comprises asteering column head, spokes and a wheel rim (not shown in theirdetails, but corresponding to the steering column head 4, the spokes 3and the wheel rim 2 of the foam material forming the steering wheel 1)made from light metal alloys, preferentially from magnesium, and wherethe tube 9 of the sensor 8 rests against at least one point of thesupport structure 5. This solution is shown in the FIG. 5, in whichsupport blocks 15 of suitable shape (shown schematically in the FIG. 5)are arranged on the support structure 5, e.g. using normal distancingclips, against which the tube 9 of the sensor 8 rests. This solutionproves suitable for facilitating the foam expanding process in themanufacture of the steering wheel 1, i.e. the processing step duringwhich the foam material is brought into the mould at relatively highpressure (e.g. at 5 to 6 kg/cm2), which could cause shifting of the tube9 with respect to the support structure 5. The support blocks 15 thusserve as a fixation of the position of the tube 9 during thismanufacturing step of the steering wheel, ensuring the correct positionof the tube 9. Obviously the two positioning solutions shown in theFIGS. 2 and 4 can be applied together, if two sensors 8 in form of atube 9 are provided or if just one sensor 8 in form of a tube 9 isprovided, which alternatively is placed along the circumference of thesteering wheel 1 in the positions indicated in the FIG. 2 and in theFIG. 4, or can change from one position to the other and back accordingto the zone of the steering wheel concerned.

According to a preferred form of realisation of the present invention itfurthermore is provided that the tube 9, or 17 respectively, presents anoutside diameter ranging from 2 to 6 mm, and is made from a plasticmaterial such as silicone, EVA (vinyl-ethylene acetate) or a similarmaterial.

Another preferred form of the present invention is represented finallyin the FIGS. 6 and 7, which show the solution in which the sensor 16 islocated in the upper portion of the steering wheel 1, i.e. on the sidefacing the driver, along its whole circumference. As described before,this solution permits most rapid protective reaction, in particular ifthe driver, as an unexpected obstacle emerges in front of the vehicle,such as a pedestrian crossing the road without watching the traffic,using both hands pushes hard against the steering wheel in order toprotect himself against a seemingly unavoidable collision. This actuallyis the first instinctive reaction. The sensor 16 thus reacts immediatelyand activates the predetermined protective measures. In the FIG. 16 itis shown in which manner two sensors 8 and 16 can jointly be placed inthe rim of the steering wheel, the first sensor e.g. in the outerportion and the second one in the upper portion of the steering wheel.This layout permits realisation of a double chance of reaction in onearrangement, and thus permits doubling the degree of safety.

In the FIG. 7 it is shown in which manner the two sensors 8 and 16 mergeinto one single tube in order to activate one single pressure gauge 12.The advantage of this arrangement is obvious. The tube 17 is located inthe rim of the wheel at a distance f ranging from 1 to 6 mm from thesurface of the steering wheel. Another preferred form of realisationprovides that, in the preferred case in which a hydraulic sensor ischosen, the filling liquid is glycol, silicon or a similar liquid. Thisliquid is filled into the tube 9, 17, preferentially under vacuum duringthe filling process, in such a manner that that absolutely no bubblesremain inside the tube 9, 17. This, however, is a manufacturing problemknown to any specialist in the field and is not relevant within thescope of the present invention.

Concerning finally the plastic material forming the outer shape of thesteering wheel 1, manufacturing experience has shown that tat among themany possibilities available the one providing the application of anexpanded polyurethane foam material presents an ideal solution withrespect to the elastic characteristics as well as to the ease ofmanufacture and to cost efficiency. This material thus represents apreferred choice, not excluding the use of other foam materials that canbe injected under pressure, or pressed, into a mould, however.

Everything described here thus far also is valid for steering wheels thefoaming process of which determines also the final surface of thepolyurethane material with mock leather effects. It has been noted thatthe manufacture of steering wheels to be covered consecutively withgenuine leather (which operation is called “saddlery” among specialists)preferentially must be effected using a more rigid polyurethanematerial, which causes major difficulties in the process of insertingthe tubes and of the sensor or the sensors, inventively required, in thefoam material insertion into the mould.

In this case the steering wheel (see the FIG. 8) preferably is foamedwithout previous insertion of the tube or the tubes and later ismachined by milling, in order to create the recess or slot 18, infowhich the inventive tube or the tubes of the sensor or the sensors areplaced subsequently. For this purpose a slot 18 preferentially ismachined into the circumference of the steering wheel at the preferredlocation (above, under, outer side, etc.) of essentially semicircularcross-section as shown in the FIG. 8, into which the tube 17 of thesensor fits perfectly. The tube 17 must protrude from the polyurethanesurface over just 6 to 8% of its total diameter. This solution isapplied only where the relative hardness of the polyurethane precludessufficient elastic local deformation of the tube.

The advantages of the steering control according to the presentinvention, especially its application in its preferred form of asteering wheel 1 of an automobile can be summarised as follows:

-   -   1) Absolute effectiveness and reliability as the danger sensor        functions in whatever position the hands of the driver contact        the wheel, taking into account also the fact that scientific        tests have proven that the hands react faster than the feet, and        that thus the safety systems monitoring the hands of the driver,        like the one according to the present invention, prove more        efficient.    -   2) The sensor 8, 16 can be provided, if the pressure gauge 12 is        calibrated correspondingly, in such a manner that it reacts only        and exclusively in case of panic of the driver, i.e. of real        emergency situations, thus avoiding unnecessary and potentially        dangerous reactions of the system due to awkward operation by        the driver.    -   3) The inventive steering control is easily manufactured at low        cost and thus can be incorporated in all types of vehicles,        automobiles or motorcycles, including commercial vehicles, road        safety thus being much enhanced.

1. Steering control for self-propelled vehicles, such as motorcycles,automobiles, etc., with a gripping zone, which for driving is held by atleast one hand of the driver, in which arrangement the gripping zone isprovided with an elastically variable geometrical shape in such a mannerthat, if the pressure exerted by the hand, or of the fingersrespectively, of the driver increases, its shape changes and/or itsvolume decreases, and in which inside the gripping zone at least onehydraulic or pneumatic sensor (8) is provided, which reacts todeviations of the shape and/or of the volume of the gripping zone, andin which the sensor furthermore is connected to at least one controland/or monitoring element for the operation of the vehicle, which thusis activated by the reaction of the sensor, characterised in that eachof the hydraulic or pneumatic sensors (8) extends over essentially thewhole zone of the steering control (1), which can be contacted by atleast one hand of the driver of the vehicle, and which consists of atube (9) of elastic material filled with a fluid, and embeddedessentially totally in a foamed plastic material (6),
 2. Steeringcontrol according to the claim 1, characterised in that the finalelasticity of the expanded foam plastic material (6) is equal or lowerthan the elasticity of the material of which the tube (9) is made. 3.Steering control according to the claim 1, characterised in that thetube (9) at one of its ends is sealed tight using a sealing clip (11),whereas its other end is connected to a pressure gauge and signaltransmitter for analogue electric measuring values (12).
 4. Steeringcontrol according to the claim 1, characterised in that the sensor (8)is a hydraulic sensor and consists of a tube (9) filled with a liquidpresenting minimum thermal dilatation over temperatures ranging from−40° C. and +100° C.
 5. Steering control according to the claim 1,characterised in that the steering control is the steering wheel (1) ofan automobile and that the hydraulic or pneumatic sensor (8) is arrangedextending over the whole circumference of the steering wheel (I) in itslower portion at a distance (d) from the surface of the steering wheel(1) ranging from 1 to 6 mm.
 6. Steering control according to the claim1, characterised in that the steering control is the steering wheel (1)of an automobile and that the hydraulic or pneumatic sensor (8) isarranged extending over the whole circumference of the steering wheel(1) in its outer portion at a distance (D) from the surface of thesteering wheel (1) ranging from 1 to 6 mm.
 7. Steering control accordingto the claim 1, characterised in that the steering control is thesteering wheel (1) of an automobile and that the hydraulic or pneumaticsensor (8) is arranged extending over the whole circumference of thesteering wheel (1) in its upper portion at a distance (f) from thesurface of the steering wheel (1) ranging from 1 to 6 mm.
 8. Steeringcontrol according to the claim 1, characterised in that the tube (9)presents an outside diameter ranging from 2 to 6 mm and is made from aplastic material such as silicon, EVA (vinyl-ethylene acetate) or from asimilar material.
 9. Steering control according to the claim 3,characterised in that the filling liquid is glycol, silicon or a similarliquid.
 10. Steering control according to claim 5, characterised in thatthe steering wheel (1) of the vehicle comprises a support structure (5)embedded entirely or partially in the foamed plastic material (6),comprising a steering column head, spokes and a wheel rim, made fromlight metal alloys, preferentially from magnesium, and that the tube (9,17) of the sensor (8, 16) rests against at least one point of thesupport structure (5).
 11. Steering control according to the claim 1,characterised in that the foam plastic material (6) is an expandedpolyurethane foam material.
 12. Steering control according to the claim1, characterised in that the foam plastic material (6) is a rigidpolyurethane foam material, which on its outside is covered with aleather cover (7), and in which, along the circumference of the steeringwheel, a slot (18) is provided in the polyurethane foam material (6),into which the hydraulic or pneumatic sensor (16) is placed protrudingfrom the surface of the polyurethane foam material with a portioncorresponding to 6 to 8% of the circumference of the tube (17) of thesensor (16).